Piston valve packing



Nov. 10, 1936. H. E. MUCHNIC r sron VALVE PACKING I Filed Jan. 24, 19342 Qseets-Sheet l or 1g.

Nov. 10, 1936. H. E. MUCHNIC 2,060,335

PISTON VALVE PACKING Filed Jan. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l PatentedNov. 10, 1936 PISTON VALVE PACKING Henry E. Muchnic, Atchison, Kans,assignor to The Locomotive Finished Material Company, Atchison, Kans., acorporation of Kansas Application January 24, 1934, Serial No. 708,079

2 Claims.

My invention, more specifically stated, relates to a one piece steamdistribution valve more especially intended for use in the steam chestsof locomotives; the invention having for its object 5 the provision of alighter valve than heretofore whereby the reciprocating load on thevalve operating mechanism is reduced.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve providedwith an integral wear 10 resisting riding shoe or facing in conjunctionwith flexible or sectional packing rings or sectional ring assemblage.

These objects and the advantages resulting therefrom will be more fullycomprehended from 15 the detailed description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows one end of my improved valve in elevation; anintermediate part of the valve broken away, and the other end shown insec- 20 tion.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of asegmental portion of an end of thevalve and taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of one of comprises a one piecevalve composed of the ln- 40' termediate tubular portion H], ofpredetermined length and diameter, and terminating in the integral headsII and I2; that is to say the body of the valve consists of a singlepiece as shown in Figure 1. The ends or heads are of predeter- 45 mineddiameter and'width.

The end or head I! is internally provided with a sufllcient number orspokes l3 formed integral with the inner perimeter of the head and attheir inner ends terminating in a hub portion I4. The

50 hub I4 is centrally provided with an opening which=receives theenlarged or head-end l5 of the valve-stem or rod l6 which only a portionis shown. The rod l6, adjacent to the hub I4, is shown threaded toreceive a suitable nut ll 56 and lock-nut l8, whereby the hub is firmlyclamped between the rod-head l and the nut l'l. With the valve bodycomposed of a single, rigid piece, thevalve-stem or rod l6 need notextend through the length of the valve as in constructions heretoforeemployed, and hence 5 the weight of the valve is materially reduced andat the same time possibility of play is eliminated. My single piecevalve body provides a lighter construction and hence less wear on thevalve gear and on the valve chamber bushing will be 10 encountered aswell as less wear on the weight supporting elements or packing elementsof the valve results and hence a longer lived valve is providedrequiring less frequent renewal of the packing.

In the particular exemplifications the valveheads or ends II and I! areprovided with two parallelly arranged and spaced apart channels as atIS; the channels at one of the sides being undercut to provide theinternal lip or shoulder as at 20; The bottoms of the channels I!) inthe construction shown in Figure 1 are provided with annular grooves 2|.

The grooves 2| in the structure shown in Figure lare intended to receivethe expander rings 95 or springs 22, which, in this instance, arecircular in cross-section; the springs 22 being disposed beneath thebottoms of the channels IS.

The channels l9 are provided with sectional packing rings 23. Thevarious segmental sections at their inner perimeters are provided withthe laterally disposed-enlargements or heads 24. The width of thechannels 19 above the lips or shoulders 20, namely between the outerperimeter of the valve-heads and the lips or shoulders 20, is suflicientto permit the enlarged inner perimeters of the ring-segments. to beinserted into the channels.

The distance between the bottoms of the channels and the lips orshoulders 20 is greater than 4 the thickness of the enlargements orheads 24 of the sectional rings 23, thus permitting the sectionalpacking rings to be distended through the action of the expandingsprings 22.

In order to hold the packing ring sections in the channels, I providethe. snap or spreader rings 25 which are inserted along one of the sidesof the packing rings, that is to say in the side or the channel which isnot undercut or provided with the annular lip or shoulderv 20. The snaprings 25 are of radial dimensions substantially equivalent to the radialdistance between the heads of the ring segments and outer perimeter ofthe packing ring so that the outer perimeters of the snap rings will notextend beyond the outer perimeters of the packing rings 23. The snaprings 25 are of suflicient thickness to cause one side of theenlargements or heads of the packing rings to remain in the undercutportion, namely beneath the lips or shoulders In order to prevent thesnap rings 25 rotating, these rings, at a convenient point, preferablyat the split in the rings, are each provided with a cut-out portion ornotch, as at 26 in Figure 2, to receive a dowel 21 inserted transverselyin a suitable hole in the adjacent side of the head of the valve.

The heads II and I2 of the valve between the spaced apart grooves ineach head are provided with relatively wide channels which are filledwith wear resisting shoes or bands 28; the shoes or bands being made ofa suitable wear resisting metal such as bronze and the like; and thesebands are preferably integrally secured to the valve-heads.

In Figure 3, which is a detail sectional view of a portion of avalve-head, the valve head is shown provided with the parallellyarranged and spaced apart channels 29, 29. In this modification thechannels are undercut on both sides so as to provide the inner lips orshoulders 30, 30 in both side walls of each channel.

The packing ring assemblage consists of two sectional rings in eachchannel; the ring sections being somewhat L-shape in cross-section asshown at 3|, with the base or laterally disposed portion at the innerperimeters of the ring sections located in the bottom of the channels sothat the laterally disposed portions of the packing ring sections willlie in the channels beneath the lips or shoulders 30 and the ringsections prevented from moving out of the channels; the distance betweenthe lips or shoulders 30 and the bottom of the channel, however, beingconsiderably greater than the thickness of the laterally disposed baseor flange of the packing ring so as to permit radial outward movement ofthe packing ring sections, as is clearly apparent from the constructionshown.

The two packing rings in the same channel are maintained in spacedrelation with each other bythe split or spreader ring 32, which is ofsuch thickness that the packing rings will be held adjacent thesidewalls of the channel so that the laterally disposed bases of the packingrings will be held beneath the lips or shoulders 30, 30, as shown,thereby preventing the packing rings from moving too far out of thechannels and from dropping out in the event of breakage.

' In order to maintain the sectional packing rings and the spreaderrings in their proper prearranged relation, I insert dowels as at 33through suitable holes in the packing rings, while the split or spreaderrings are grooved or notched on their inner perimeters as shown at 26 inFigure 2. This enables the packing rings to be inserted into thechannels 29 and the two rings then spread apart and the spreader ring 32then put into place.

Before the packing ring assemblage is put into the channels, theexpander rings 34 are first put into the channels; the expander rings 34in this instance being preferably in the nature of fiat springs of widthsuflicient to engage with both sectional rings of the assemblage so asto cause the sections of both rings of the assemblage to move radiallyin unison.

The circumferential face of the valve-head, intermediate of the twochannels 29, 29, is also preferably provided with a wide channel which,like the structure of Figure 1, is provided with a wear resisting shoeor band 28 of suitable wear resisting metal which is integrally securedin place.

In Figure 4, which shows a similar section of a valve-head, the end orhead portion of the valve is shown provided with a pair of channels 35having straight side walls; each channel having a pair of juxtaposedsectional rings 36, 36; the sections of the two rings being held intheir prearranged 'relation by means of a dowel 31 which passeslaterally through the adjacent sections.

The ring sections at their outer perimeters and on what may be calledthe outer sides are provided with the laterally disposed lips 38 whichextend over the perimeter of the valve-head which in the particularexemplification is grooved on opposite sides of the channels to receivethe lips 38.

The bottoms of the channels are shown provided with the flat springs orexpander rings 34, disposed beneath each ring 36 so as to cause thelatter to become distended at the same time; the springs 34 beinginserted in the channels 35 before the packing rings are inserted.

The portion of the perimeter of the valve-head intermediate of the twochannels 35 is shown provided with a wide channel in which a shoe orband 28 of wear resisting metal is integrally secured.

In Figure 5, the section of valve-head there shown is provided with apair of laterally spaced apart channels l9, substantially similar tothose shown in Figure 1 and undercut on one side to provide theshoulders 20; while the bottoms of the channels are also provided withthe annular grooves 2|. These grooves are provided. with the springs orexpanders 22, 22 like in Figure 1.

The channels are each provided with a ring composed of segments 39,L-shape in crosssection with the base disposed in the bottom of thechannel and the base of the ring extending substantially throughout thewidth of the channel.

Each channel also has a segmental ring 40 which rests on the base of thesegmental ring 39. The base of the ring 40, at one side, is providedwith a laterally disposed lip 4| which is adapted to extend beneath theshoulder 20 on the side wall of the channel when the ring assemblage isin position.

The two segmental rings 39 and 40 are maintained in lateral spacedrelation by a spreader ring 42. With the rings 40 resting on the basesof rings 39, it is apparent that the expander springs 22 will cause bothrings to be distended.

The valve, like in the other constructions, is also provided with a wearresisting band or shoe 28 preferably integrally secured to thevalve-head.

In the detail sectional view Figure 6, the valvehead is also providedwith a pair of parallelly arranged and. spaced apart channels 43,substantially similar to those shown in Figure 4, except possibly fordepth; and these channels are each provided with segmental rings 44 ofsimilar construction, in side to side relation and without lips. Theabutting sides of the ring segments are provided with semi-cylindricalgrooves 45, 45, to receive the round expansion spring 46; while one pairof segments in the bottoms of these grooves are bored to receive thehead or cross-pin 41 formed at one end of the split expander ring 46.This not only ensures the spring being maintained in proper position,but it also maintains a prearranged relation of the joints between thesegments of one ring '44 and the joints of the other ring 44 so that thejoints of the two rings are not capable of shifting so as to register.

This structure is similar to that disclosed in my patent No. 1,572,443.

The valve-head intermediate of the two sets of packing rings is alsochanneled and provided with the wear resisting shoeor band 28.

Figure 7 shows a section of valve-head with a pair of channels 43,spaced apart and each provided with plain sided sectional packing rings48; the segments of both rings being similar and both rings resting onthe flat expander or spring 34; while the valve-head outer perimeter,intermediate of both channels 43, is also preferably provided with awear resisting band or shoe 28 integrally secured in a wide channel inthe valvehead.

With my improved structure, wherein the heads or ends and theintermediate tubular body portion are all made in one piece; it isapparent that the possibility of steam leaks is eliminated which,however, is not the case with the com-- posite type heretofore employedwherein leaks between the follower and the bull-ring and between thebull-ring and the spool and between the spool and the follower arepossible, especially when the connections between the two followers orspiders become loose. At the same time a very much lighter valve isprovided and hence the reciprocating load lightened and consequentlywear considerably reduced. Furthermore, wear is also further lessened bythe application of a band of wear resisting metal around the valve-headsor ends.

I have described my invention as a steam distribution valve, although itis apparent that the invention is applicable to means of that generalcharacter as for example steam pistons and the like; the expressionsemployed being merely terms of description and not terms of limitation.

What I claim is:

1. In a steam distribution valve the head portion whereof is providedwith a ring-receiving channel, a packing ring assemblage in said channelconsisting of a sectional ring and a one piece ring, the ring sectionshaving laterally disposed portions, while the one piece ring isself-expansive and is disposed in a circumferential plane coincidentwith said laterally disposed portions whereby outward movement of thesectional ring is limited when the assemblage is removed from acylinder, the relation between the ring sections and said one piece ringbeing such that the outer perimeters of the sectional ring and of theone piece ring will lie flush with the cylinder walls; and an expanderlocated in said channel beneath the assemblage.

2. A segmental packing ring provided with a continuous circumferentialgroove, an expander beneath the ring, and an expansible packing ringadapted to seat in said groove.

' HENRY E. MUCHNIC.

